26 September 2007
GlobeCast and satellite operator Arabsat announced at IBC 2007 that they have agreed to extend their cooperation on the worldwide distribution of the Arabsat/ASBU digital bouquet of Arabic-language channels for five additional years, from 2009 to 2014.
Since the launch of the partnership in 2004, GlobeCast, Arabsat and ASBU have expanded the bouquets potential viewership and footprint, offering maximum global coverage by attracting new broadcasters and offering new services. Channels worldwide are now able to join the bouquet and viewers on five continents are free to view its community channels, including: Abu Dhabi TV, Abu Dhabi Sports, Al-Iraqiya TV, Al Jazeera, Al Ordoniyah, Jamahirya Satellite Channel, Oman TV Satellite, Qatar TV, Saudi Arabian TV 1, Saudi Arabian TV 2, Sharjah TV, Sudan TV, Syrian Satellite Channel.
As of today, the available services cover the following regions: North America via WorldTV on Galaxy 25; South America via Hispasat 1C; Africa via NSS 7; Asia via AsiaSat 2.
GlobeCast also provides individual DTH channel distribution for selected ASBU member channels to:
Europe via Hot Bird and Astra 1E; Australia via Optus B3 and Intelsat 8.
The continued partnership between GlobeCast, Arabsat and ASBU proves our commitment to bringing international programming to viewers around the world, said GlobeCast president and CEO Christian Pinon, The renewal of our cooperation for the next five years will help to ensure the success of the bouquet.
Arabsat CEO Eng. Khalid A. Balkheyour ads, We are looking forward to continue our cooperation with GlobeCast which has set an important precedent in the industry and has proven the effectiveness of bundled programming and one-source global distribution.
ASBUs Director General, Salaheddine Maaoui emphasized on the role of the Union for providing comprehensive and consistent services, in partnership with Arabsat and GlobeCast, to its eminent members.
26 September 2007
A new 24-hour TV news channel based in Chennai, India has confirmed a deal to deploy ENPS as their newsroom computer system at IBC today (9 September).
This makes the broadcaster, Raj TV, the 7th TV station in India to choose the Associated Press award-winning software, following in the footsteps of the worlds biggest terrestrial broadcaster, Doordarshan. The station, which will broadcast exclusively in Tamil, plans to go live by the end of this year.
We evaluated all newsroom computer systems and decided upon ENPS, for its ease of use, seamless integration with other newsroom hardware and track record said Mr Ravindran, Director of Raj TV.
The deal was won by Shaf Broadcast, ENPS authorised distributor in India. Other components of the Raj TV newsroom will include Omnibus, Omneon, Orad and the Apple Final Cut Pro editing system. Regional roll-out is currently under discussion and is expected in the early 2008.
26 September 2007
Intelsat, Ltd., the world’s leading provider of commercial satellite services, announced that RRSat Global Communications Network Ltd., a global provider of end-to-end transmission and production services for broadcasters, will use the Intelsat global network to expand RRSats programming transmissions services seamlessly across three continents.
RRSat contracted for capacity on Intelsats Galaxy 23 and Intelsat 10 satellites for content broadcasting throughout Africa, Asia and North America. The Intelsat 10 satellite, located at 68.5° E offers communications services to customers wanting access to the emerging markets of the Indian subcontinent as well as Central and Western Asia. RRSat will use its Intelsat 10 capacity to distribute television programming from Europe and the United States into Asia and Africa.
The Galaxy 23 satellite, located at 121° W within Intelsats valuable Galaxy neighborhood, offers programmers distribution to the U.S. cable community, reaching millions of homes. RRSat will use Galaxy 23 capacity to distribute television programming from Europe and Asia into the U.S. cable market.
Intelsats two satellites, Galaxy 23 and Intelsat 10, will provide RRSat with the extensive coverage required to meet our customers growing demands for our comprehensive content management and global distribution services, said Lior Rival, RRSats Vice President Sales & Marketing. Likewise, service on Intelsat 10 allows us the opportunity to expand our offering with new services to current and new customers.
“Programmers turn to Intelsat when seeking global market access,” said Jean Philippe Gillet, Intelsats Regional Vice President, Europe & Middle East Sales. Our growing relationship with RRSat is a prime example of how our customers rely on Intelsat to efficiently implement global business objectives.
25 September 2007
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19 September 2007
Independent medical experts from the United States and Britain, reviewing recent conversations with the detained Al Jazeera cameraman Sami al Haj, reveal that his mental state has deteriorated severely and he is in desperate need of medical attention. Based on recent comments from Sami, noted experts believe that he is suffering from severe depression, and characterize him as “passively suicidal.” According to reports, Sami believes that he has nothing to live for.
Sami has been detained in Guantanamo Bay since January 7, 2002, without any charges, any legal means to defend himself or information on when he will be released. Being held in the legal black hole known as Guantanamo Bay has taken a serious toll on Sami and on Sami’s wife and his young son.
D.L. Creson MD, a mental health professional with extensive experience working with prisoners in the United States, Bosnia, East Timor, Sierra Leone and Afghanistan, stated, “He, in my opinion, fits into a sub-category of severe depression often seen in complex emergencies where an individual has given up all hope; where nothing remains relevant to survival.” While describing Sami’s deteriorating condition, Dr. Creson elaborated, “
the marked change in attitude that was noted and the description of Mr. al Haj’s current behaviour suggests to me that Mr. al Haj no longer has the ability to cope with his relentlessly traumatic environment and is in the process of withdrawing into himself; in effect, he is becoming a case of passive suicide.”
Similarly, Hugh Rickards, MD, a noted consultant in Neuropsychiatry, suggested that Sami may be facing the onset of a mental disorder as a result of his indefinite detention and seemingly never-ending ordeal. In conclusion, Dr. Rickards states, “His (Sami al Haj) state of mind requires assessment and possible treatment from a qualified and experienced psychiatrist, which I understand Mr. Al-Haj is not receiving. Although I have not met or examined Mr. Al-Haj personally, the level of his mental suffering appears so acute that it is my duty as a medical practitioner to put this in writing to ensure appropriate assessment and treatment.” Given the apparent deterioration of Sami’s mental state, and his obvious anguish, the Al Jazeera Network would like to appeal to the U.S. administration and military to conform to international human rights standards and to provide medical attention for Sami.
Wadah Khanfar, the Director General of the Al Jazeera Network stated: “Our colleague Sami has been in detention now for almost six years without any charges and is suffering greatly from this unfair and illegal detention – we demand the U.S. officials to release him immediately. Al Jazeera continues to stand by Sami and this just cause.”
Sami, originally from Sudan, was captured while filming a news story in Afghanistan for Al Jazeera. To protest his indefinite detention without charges, Sami has been on hunger strike for almost one year. Support the campaign to free Sami from Guantanamo Bay.
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